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Premenopausal women are known to show lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than men. During myocardial infarction ( MI), homeostatic responses are activated, including the sympathetic autonomic nervous system and the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which is related to the fluid and electrolyte balance, both aiming to maintain cardiac output. This study sought to perform a serial evaluation of sexual dimorphism in cardiac autonomic control and fluid and electrolyte balance during the development of MI-induced heart failure in rats. Experimental MI was induced in male (M) and female (F) adult (7-9 weeks of age) Wistar rats. The animals were placed in metabolic cages to assess fluid intake and urine volume 1 and 4 weeks after inducing MI (male myocardial infarction ( MMI) and female myocardial infarction ( FMI) groups). They subsequently underwent echocardiographic evaluation and spectral analysis of heart rate variability. After completing each protocol, the animals were killed for postmortem evaluation and histology. The MMI group showed earlier and more intense cardiac morphological and functional changes than the FMI group, although the extent of MI did not differ between groups ( P > 0.05). The MMI group showed higher sympathetic modulation and sodium and water retention than the FMI group ( P < 0.05), which may partly explain both the echocardiographic and pathological findings. Females subjected to infarction seem to show attenuation of sympathetic modulation, more favourable fluid and electrolyte balances, and better preserved cardiac function compared to males subjected to the same infarction model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Qualea parviflora Mart. is a medicinal species commonly found in the Brazilian Cerrado biome. AIM OF THE STUDY: Based on ethnopharmacological data, methanolic extract from Qualea parviflora (QP) bark was evaluated for its antiulcer, analgesic, anti-hemorrhagic, mutagenic and anti-Helicobacter pylori activities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The gastroprotective action of the extract was evaluated in rodent experimental models (HCl/ethanol, ethanol or NSAID). We also evaluated mutagenic effect (Ames assay), anti-Helicobacter pylori, anti-hemorrhagic action, analgesic and inflammatory effects (hot-plate test and carrageenin-induced hind paw edema) of methanolic extract from Qualea parviflora. RESULTS: QP (500 mg/kg, p.o.) was able to protect gastric mucosa against HCl/ethanol solution (77%), absolute ethanol (97%), and also against injurious effect of NSAID (36%). When QP was challenged with sulfhydryl depletor compound, the gastroprotective action of extract was abolished. QP treatment was able to maintain the GSH level and show a concentration-dependent inhibition effect on the lipid peroxidation. QP present anti-Helicobacter pylori effect (MIC=75 microg/mL), anti-hemorrhagic and antidiarrheal action but not present analgesic or anti-inflammatory effect. CONCLUSION: methanolic extract from Qualea parviflora had gastroprotective effect related to the increase of gastric mucosa defensive factors such PGE(2) levels and maintain the basal gastric glutathione levels. The methanolic extract also showed anti-Helicobacter pylori activity, anti-hemorrhagic effect and antioxidant action, but absence of analgesic, mutagenic and toxic effects, a profile that adds safety to its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]